Most of my friends and fellow aviation enthusiasts don't know that there is a bespoke airline in the Middle East that has been gaining positive traction as of late: Oman Air. While we're used to the popularity and superior comfort and service provided by the top three Middle Eastern carriers: Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways, I actually consider Oman Air up there with the rest of these, and if you do some social media searching, I'm not the only one that thinks that way!
Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, was founded in 1993, evolving from a regional player into a respected airline with global reach. With its hub in Muscat, Oman Air has been instrumental in making Muscat a significant traffic hub in the Middle East, supporting the commercial, industrial, and tourism sectors.
For its long-haul operations, Oman Air boasts a modern and efficient fleet, primarily consisting of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. These state-of-the-art planes are celebrated for their fuel efficiency, comfort, and range capabilities, allowing Oman Air to connect Oman with key destinations across Europe, Asia, and beyond.
Final Thoughts
The inclusion of Oman Air into the Oneworld alliance in 2024 marks a significant milestone in its global expansion strategy, promising enhanced connectivity and services for international travelers, especially us Malaysians. If you're a constant traveller to Europe, you'll probably be accustomed to redeeming your points for Malaysia Airlines' extremely poor Business Class product. The inclusion of Oman Air into Oneworld allows us to leverage on the Oneworld network to redeem our points to travel to Europe in Business or First Class. This means that we're no longer limited to seats on Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways.
